Zoho Vault encrypts your data with your master password. That password is never stored or sent to Zoho's servers, and only you know it. This keeps your data private, but it also meant that forgetting the master password required a reset, after which your personal passwords were lost. Zoho Vault now has a recovery key. It is a backup you generate yourself and keep somewhere safe, and if you forget your master password you can use it to set a new one while all your existing data stays intact.

Generate a recovery key

1. Sign in to your Zoho Vault account.
2. Click the Settings icon in the left sidebar.
3. Under Security, click Master Password Recovery.
4. Tick the acknowledgement checkbox, then click Generate New Recovery Key.
5. Verify your identity when prompted.

The key appears on the Recovery Key Generated screen, together with a QR code that contains the same key.

Save it properly

1. Click Copy to put the key on your clipboard, or Download to save it as a file.
2. Store it somewhere safe and separate from your vault. Keeping it inside Zoho Vault defeats its purpose.
3. Close the screen once the key is saved.

Regenerate a recovery key

Generate a new key if you think the existing one has been seen, copied, or lost. Follow the same steps as above, then save the new key as described. Generating a new key permanently invalidates the previous one. The old key stops working the moment the new one appears, so discard any stored copies of it.

Reset a forgotten master password without losing data

Use these steps when you have forgotten the master password and still have your recovery key.

1. Sign in to your Zoho Vault account.
2. On the master password screen, click Forgot your master password.
3. Enter your recovery key and click Recover Master Password.
4. Enter your new master password in the New Password field.
5. Re-enter it in the Confirm New Password field.
6. Click Change Master Password.

You are signed in with the new master password, and your passwords, folders, and shared data stay intact.

If you have no recovery key

You can still get back into the account, but you will lose your personal passwords.

1. Click Don't have recovery key.
2. Read the confirmation, then click Reset to continue, or Cancel to go back.
3. Enter and confirm a new master password, then click Change Master Password.

What this means for administrators

• Because the feature is on by default, users can generate keys themselves. If your security policy does not allow that, administrators can switch it off for users. Zoho publishes a separate guide to restricting recovery key generation.
• Decide in advance where keys should be stored, since the one place they should not be is Zoho Vault itself. This is our recommendation rather than part of Zoho's announcement.
• Remind users to complete the RSA 4096 bit upgrade when prompted.